Glass Hardware Australia Pty Ltd v TCT Group Pty Ltd [2024] FCAFC 95

Federal Court of Australia

Glass Hardware Australia Pty Ltd v TCT Group Pty Ltd [2024] FCAFC 95 Appeal from: TCT Group Pty Ltd v Polaris IP Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 1493

File number: NSD 378 of 2023

Judgment of: YATES, CHARLESWORTH AND ROFE JJ

Date of judgment: 17 July 2024

Catchwords: PATENTS – innovation patent relating to hinges – infringement – validity – whether primary judge erred in the proper construction of the invention disclosed PATENTS – validity – lack of clear and complete description – classical sufficiency – "relevant range" – s 40(2)(a) of the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) – whether primary judge erred in finding specifications did not enable skilled addressee to perform invention over the whole area claimed without undue burden PATENTS – validity – lack of support – s 40(3) of the Act – comparison between invention specified in the claims and that described in the specification – technical contribution to the art

Legislation: Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 (Cth) Patents Act 1990 (Cth) Patents Regulations 1991 (Cth)

Cases cited: Catnic Components Ltd v Hill and Smith Ltd [1982] RPC 183 Eli Lilly & Co v Human Genome Sciences Inc [2008] RPC 29 Illumina Cambridge Ltd v Latvia MGI Tech SIA [2021] RPC 12 Jupiters Ltd v Neurizon Pty Ltd (2005) 65 IPR 86 Jusand Nominees Pty Ltd v Rattlejack Innovations Pty Ltd (2023) 176 IPR 336 Kirin-Amgen Inc v Hoechst Marion Roussel Ltd (2004) 64 IPR 444 Mentor Corp. v Hollister Inc [1993] RPC 7 Product Management Group Pty Ltd v Blue Gentian LLC (2015) 116 IPR 54 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc v Kymab Ltd [2020] RPC 22 TCT Group Pty Ltd v Polaris IP Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 1493; (2022) 170 IPR 313 ToolGen Incorporated v Fisher (No 2) [2023] FCA 794 Tramanco Pty Ltd v BPW Transpec Pty Ltd (2014) 105 IPR 18 Valensi v British Radio Corporation [1973] RPC 337